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The Ratification Debates

In the fall of 1787, each of the 13 states assembled special conventions to consider ratification of a proposed Constitution of the United States. Without ratification by nine conventions, the Constitution would flounder: America would be a league of states, not one nation.

Communist Manifesto and Social Contract (Knowledge Products) Giants of Political Thought Series

Communist Manifesto examines the theory and goals expounded by Karl Marx. Marx argues that history flows inevitably toward a social revolution, which will result in a society without economic classes. The influence on Marx of Hegel, Feuerbach, and other philosophers is examined, as is his friendship and collaboration with Engels.

The Federalist Papers

Originally published anonymously, The Federalist Papers first appeared in 1787 as a series of letters to New York newspapers exhorting voters to ratify the proposed Constitution of the United States. Still hotly debated and open to often controversial interpretations, the arguments first presented here by three of America's greatest patriots and political theorists were created during a critical moment in our nation's history.

The Constitutional Convention

In 1783, America emerged from a long and bitter war for independence. The 13 colonies were now 13 sovereign states, bound together by the Articles of Confederation. After years of war, men like Thomas Jefferson saw the possibility of something new under the sun: a government which derived its just power from the consent of the governed.

Reflections on the Revolution in France & Rights of Man

Reflections on the Revolution in France is a slashing attack on the French Revolution by one of Britain’s most famous statesmen. Liberty and social order, Burke argues, are maintained by the traditional rights and duties embedded in custom and law. And when these traditions are overthrown in revolutions, society is threatened with chaos, bloodshed and despotism.

The Bill of Rights and Additional Amendments

The Constitution of the United States created a nation with a strong centralized government. In 1791, the Constitution was adjusted to include 10 amendments, commonly referred to as the Bill of Rights. These were guarantees of individual liberty upon which critics of the Constitution had insisted. Changing times raise changing questions. What of black rights, the right of former slaves to vote? And do women not share in that privilege? How many terms should a president serve? These and other issues were resolved through additional amendments to the Constitution.

The Wealth of Nations: The Giants of Political Thought Series

>An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations is one of the most important and influential works ever published on economic theory and is the foundation of classical economics. In it, Adam Smith stresses the importance of the division of labor to economic progress. He criticizes the arguments for economic planning and offers a detailed theoretical and historical case for free trade. In this masterpiece of the 18th-century Scottish Enlightenment, Smith develops a theory of social order arising from the unintended consequences of self-interested behavior.

The American Revolution, Part 1

In 1764, Britain imposed the first of several taxes with the Sugar Act. This was followed by the Stamp Act and the Townshend Revenue Act. In 1773, the Seven Years War with France had made Britain the greatest power on earth. But the war had doubled her national debt; interest payments alone consumed 5/8ths of Britain's annual budget. To ease this burden, Britain made a fateful blunder: she decided to impose and enforce taxes upon the American colonies.

Democracy in America

In 1831, Alexis de Tocqueville, a young French aristocrat and civil servant, made a nine-month journey through the eastern United States. The result was Democracy in America, a monumental study of the strengths and weaknesses of the nation’s evolving politics. His insightful work has become one of the most influential political texts ever written on America.

The American Revolution, Part 2

In 1764, Britain imposed the first of several taxes with the Sugar Act. This was followed by the Stamp Act and the Townshend Revenue Act. In 1773, the Seven Years War with France had made Britain the greatest power on earth. But the war had doubled her national debt; interest payments alone consumed 5/8ths of Britain's annual budget. To ease this burden, Britain made a fateful blunder: she decided to impose and enforce taxes upon the American colonies.

The Text of the United States Constitution

The United States Constitution both established both a strong central government and protected states' rights. But to say that something is of two parts is not to say that the parts are equal. Advocates of state sovereignty believed the Constitution created an executive power that was so strong it might as well have been a monarchy, while advocates of national government felt that a strong executive was essential to steer America through crises.

Darwin and Evolution

In 1859, Charles Darwin published a vastly important work, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. For centuries, man had been seen as a created species, distinct from any other animal. Then, Darwin persuasively argued that mankind and other species are descended from common ancestors. His theory of "natural selection", also known as "survival of the fittest", explains how life evolved through natural processes.

Publisher's Summary

Alexis de Tocqueville, a young French aristocrat, captured the essence of nineteenth-century America in his penetrating work, Democracy in America. The democratic concept of equality was emerging as a political reality in America, and it threatened the aristocracy of Europe; it produced a society of individualists hungry for self improvement. In this classic treatise, Tocqueville weighed the advantages of democracy against its dangers. He asked: Is the tendency toward equality a tendency toward liberty? Can the majority be restrained to protect the freedom of individuals and minorities?

In pondering these questions, Tocqueville presented an unsurpassed picture of American government, culture, and attitudes. He proclaimed a new nation with a new theory of human interaction: America, ruled by the will of the majority.

I thought that this would be a full reading of the actual book, since the title read "unabridged". However, it turned out to be a spoon-fed narration of the major points of the book. I did not mind the corny French accents that were used whenever Tocqueville or other French individuals were supposed to be speaking, but I found them unneccessary and somewhat annoying. Overall, I give the title 3 stars, but it's hardly an "unabridged" reading of the book.

I was a bit rushed when downloading this book so I thought I must have clicked the wrong selection when I listened to the program. I should have noticed that the author of the work was not, as it should have been, Alexis DeTocqueville. Also, the playing time was too short to cover the work. The selection is a cursory look at DeTocqueville's work. It did provide some insight into how the work was viewed by DeTocqueville's contemporaries but I found most of its observations shallow.